Into the Woods
by Piercing Thorn
Summary: Giftfic for Tsukiko94. Sarah's gone out for a walk when she gets a little lost in the woods. And its raining, just great. Rated high T for Jareth


Hey everyone reading this! this is a giftfic to my reader Tsukiko94. i really did try to make it the way you wanted, but it may not be as fluffy as i intended it to be when i started out but i did try to include some fluffy humorous moments. only problem was i had to balance t out to fit Jareth's personality as well and... yeah. all the same Tsukiko94, i really hope you like it, and all the rest of you readers too! please enjoy this oneshot i call Into the Woods, and no it has nothing to do with the musical/movie.

Disclaimer: i do not own Labyrinth, no matter how badly i wish otherwise

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><p>"No! I don't want to! You can't make me!" came the petulant voice of a screaming child.<p>

"Come on now, please go to bed. It's late and you must be so tired."

"I don't wanna!" came the child's cry again.

There came a sigh. Inside a bedroom fit for an adventurous little boy Sarah Williams was arguing with three year old Toby, her little brother. He had come down with a bad case of the flu, and he was getting irritable. He needed rest to get better but was obstinately refusing to take a nap. Sarah had just returned home on vacation from college and had wanted a little peace and quiet to herself, but Karen had had to run out and pick up Toby's prescription and had all but begged Sarah to watch her younger brother.

So here she was, trying to cajole the little boy into napping until her stepmother returned home with the medicine that was sure to knock him out cold. Not that she was having any effect on him, which was unusual because normally Toby would do whatever his sister asked of him, within little boy reason of course.

"Toby, you want to get better don't you?"

He sniffled and nodded while wiping his runny nose on the sleeve of his stripped pajamas.

"well, you need to rest to get better."

"but I don't wanna rest!" he wailed.

"I know, I don't want you to rest either. But sometimes we have to do things we don't want to do because they're good for us. Remember how mom always makes you eat your vegetables?"

Toby nodded and made a face of disgust. "Vegetables taste icky!" he stuck out his tongue.

Sarah laughed, "I know, I don't like veggies either. But like 'em or not, they're good for you. They help you grow big and strong. And when you're sick, rest helps you get better."

Toby looked at her for a second, "But I'll miss so many fun things is I rest!" he whined.

Sarah pinched her brow, "If you stay sick, you'll miss even more fun things. Don't you wanna go to the park with me and Merlin this week?" Toby's eyes grew wide with excitement and he shook his head vigorously. "Well, too bad because only healthy little boys can go to the park and you can't get healthy if you don't rest." Sometimes the only way to deal with a petulant child was to be just as petulant.

"But I wanna go to the park!"

"Then you have to rest."

"But Sarah!"

"No buts little man." Sarah pointed to is bed and Toby marched, stomping is little feet all the way.

"But Sarah, I'm not tired!" Toby exclaimed as soon as he was settled beneath the covers.

Sarah sighed once more as she sat in a chair beside the bed. Finally she shrugged and said, "fine with me. Stay awake then."

"Really?" Toby couldn't believe it.

Sarah smiled and started singing, _"Stay awake, don't rest your head. Don't lie down upon your bed. While the moon drifts in the skies, stay awake, don't close your eyes."_

Toby's eyes started to drift shut.

_"Though the world is fast asleep. Though your pillow's soft and deep. You're not sleepy, as you seem. Stay awake, don't nod and dream. Stay awake, don't nod, and dream…"_

Sarah smiled as toby's lashes rested against his cheek and his breathing evened out. Silently she stood and tiptoed her way out of the room, softly closing the door behind her. That was where she nearly ran into her stepmother.

"Oh Karen!" she whispered, "I just got him down for a nap. You can give him his medicine when he wakes up."

Karen nodded and motioned for Sarah to join her downstairs.

"Thank you for doing that Sarah." Karen told her. "I know it must have been hard, but ever since he got sick earlier this week all he's wanted was to see you. And once you were here he wanted to spend some time with you."

"It's no problem." Sarah replied, "But before it gets too dark out I think I'm gonna go for a walk." She started for the front door.

"Have fun dear, but don't be out too long! There's a bad thunderstorm on its way over here and I wouldn't want you getting sick too!"

"I won't!" Sarah called back as she tugged on a large red cloak-coat–a prize she'd pried from the depths of the local thrift store- while she walked out the door.

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><p>As she stepped off the front porch she glanced up at the skies. Dark clouds were rolling in ominously. It really did look as though it was about to downpour. Sarah hoped it would, just not when she was outside. However, times like these, when the sky was just about to let loose it's pent up anguish, were Sarah's favorite times to go out walking.<p>

The outside world was tinged with the gray from the skies. There were almost never any people out, which left the slap of Sarah's shoes against the pavement echoing throughout the street. Everything even smelled different, earthier, baser, more wild and untamed. It was almost like stepping back in time before the rise of big cities and buildings as tall as the eye could see.

The rhythmic pattern of her footsteps helped to clear Sarah's mind and she let her feet take her where they would. The wind started up, causing the leaves to rustle and the boughs to creak. Though it wasn't chilly, not this late in spring, Sarah drew up the hood from her outer garment and pulled it more tightly about her old ensemble of fluffy white poet's shirt and jeans. She glanced up at the sky again; the clouds seemed even more threatening now. Should she head back?

'What would a few more minutes hurt?' her more mischievous side whispered. 'After all, it's only a little walk, and a little water. They never hurt anyone did they?'

As Sarah continued wandering she idly thought back to the last time she'd ever seen a thunderstorm that was as bad as this one promised to be. A shiver that had nothing to do with the wind ran down Sarah's spine. It had been almost three years ago now; the night she'd done the most selfish thing in her life, the night that everything about her world had been eternally altered. The night when _He'd_ blown, or more like flown, into her life.

Sarah would always liken that night to a piece of dark chocolate. Bitter and not easy to swallow, but always carrying some undertones of sweetness in the end. She often thought of that night as the night she had lost her innocence, the night she put away the fairytales and hopes of being saved for more practical dreams. She had finally made friends, and she had learned, which for no other reason would she ever be grateful to that arrogant, smug, ugh! She couldn't even think about him without getting riled up. Wait a minute, she shouldn't be thinking of him at all!

Belatedly Sarah realized her surroundings had become a little darker than normal. She checked her wristwatch, it was only five o'clock, it wasn't supposed to get dark out yet. And if it had started raining she surely would have heard, or felt something. Sarah glanced around to find she had lost herself in the woods without even realizing it. She was sure it was the same woods near the park where she'd played since childhood, but they looked unfamiliar and even a little foreboding. She turned around to try and backtrack her way out, but there was no visible trail, not even from where she had been walking from. There was a single crash of thunder, and then the heavens opened up and deluged upon the earth. The thick canopy of foliage blocked most of the water, but enough still came through to soak Sarah instantly. She pulled the red cloak tighter about her body, trying to keep warm. She took shelter under one of the medium-sized trees and tried to come up with a plan.

As the water continued its assault and the thunder its symphonious and never-ending song, Sarah didn't even feel her lips moving, her mouth uttering the words,

_"I wish…"_

No, she only heard herself saying,

"Somebody get me out of this awful storm!" she cried as she huddled in closer to the tree trunk. Sarah stood there, shivering in the rain and completely lost and unable to return home until the storm subsided.

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><p>Long she stood there, possibly minutes, possibly hours, trying not to get sick or hypothermic. Suddenly there was another noise besides the steady beating of rain striking the earth. Up until this point all wood-dwelling creatures had remained silent, safely tucked away in their burrows or knothole homes. But this didn't sound like any animal. This sounded like, like laughter, very familiar laughter.<p>

It was then Sarah realized that it wasn't laughter, it was snickering, and she knew that snickering, had only heard it once before in her life but knew who it was.

"Goblins," she breathed. Their laughter had echoed throughout the room whilst their shadows danced along the walls. They were coming, and they were coming for her.

She started running. Where wasn't important, as long as it was away from those creatures. She couldn't be caught, not weak and vulnerable. She was Sarah Williams, champion of the Labyrinth and bester of the Goblin King. The Goblin King, oh no.

If she had learned one thing that fateful night, it was that wherever the goblins went, he was sure to follow.

Eventually her running brought her to a small thicket where she could stop and catch her breath. The rain was still pouring, but it wasn't as bad as it had been on her wild gallivant through the forest. It was then she noticed something; night had fallen. The full moon shone through the window of foliage. The rain continued on, but now there was something different about it.

Each droplet seemed to glow, to shimmer. No, Sarah realized with dread dropping like a lead weight in her stomach, it was _glittering_. She turned to run, and came face to face, or rather face to torso, with the one man she was trying to escape.

"Hello Precious." He purred seductively, "Have you missed me?"

She pushed back out of the impromptu embrace and snorted, "Not even in your dreams Goblin King." She spat venomously from under a glare.

"Oh come now Precious," Jareth crooned as he eyed her. "it isn't polite to lie."

"Who says I'm lying?" she retorted. Sarah wasn't about to admit to that little smidgeon of relief that someone was here. And she refused to feel giddy at the fact that while her memory certainly hadn't done him justice, it hadn't over exaggerated his effect on her. "I didn't call you here, now get out and leave me alone!"

He remained unchanged from the past three years, still as roguishly handsome and arrogant as ever.

"Precious," he started patronizing and stopped "Or perhaps I should be calling you Little Red,"

"Little Red? Why on earth would you call me-" Sarah caught her reflection in a small puddle on the ground and groaned. "You have got to be kidding me."

Jareth ignored her complaint and pressed on. "So Little Red, where were you off to in such inclement weather? Grandmother's house perhaps? Oh, but it seems you've lost your basket of goodies." He pouted pityingly.

"Ha ha, very funny. If you must know I was on my way home from a walk when I got caught in this storm. Not delivering a basket of goodies to my grandmother." She eyes him suspiciously. "Though I do believe I've run into a wolf."

He grinned, "A wolf? Oh do tell Precious, what did this wolf look like?"

"He's tall, taller than me, and lean, and fast it would seem. And, and…" she trailed off.

"Go on Precious," Jareth encouraged, "what else was this wolf like?"

"And he's standing right behind you." She pointed over his shoulder and made a break for it when he turned. Just as she reached the other side of the clearing she felt an arm slam into her gut and curl around her waist. She was reeled in to the Goblin King's embrace.

"A foolish decision Sarah," he growled in her ear, "but a valiant attempt nonetheless. However, you should know never to bait a creature of prey, it tends to bring out the bloodlust in them."

"So now that you've caught me Wolf," she taunted deliberately not using his name or title. "What are you going to do? Eat me?"

Jareth's eyes gleamed predatorily and he licked his lips, "I would love nothing more Sarah-mine, but only at your behest."

Sarah stared at him in shock; unable to believe he'd actually just said that. "What do you mean by that?"

"I meant exactly what I said Precious." He replied. "I wish to devour you, but when I do, it shall be only when you beg me to do so."

"I, but, how…" Sarah was at a loss for words. "Is this all some sick sense of revenge?"

Jareth cocked his head to the side, not understanding what she meant. "Whatever do you mean by that Precious?"

"That's it isn't it? You're pissed because I beat you and now you're confusing me just to get revenge." She accused him.

"Sarah," he sighed, "what in Oberon's name are you talking about?"

"You did this in the Labyrinth too! Whenever I was getting somewhere you would show up and then say things that made no sense, and then off you'd go disappearing at the drop of a hat! It's not going to work this time Goblin King!"

"Sarah, I do not think you understand."

"No!" she shouted as she struggled out of his arms. "You listen to me and you listen good, I am done playing mind games with you! You always say one thing and mean the other and I am having no part of it. Go home Goblin King, and find someone else to screw around with."

Roughly and without warning Jareth grasped Sarah's arm and hauled her up against him. "Now you shall listen to me Sarah-mine." He snarled, "I have never once told you a falsehood. I am sincere in what I say now and I was sincere in what I said then. I do enjoy mind games Sarah; make no mistake of that, however it was you who wanted that. You who wanted excitement, adventure, someone to save you. At the same time you wanted a villain, and did I not live up to all you asked of me? Did I not?"

At her silence, he continued,

"I will only say this once more Sarah, I move the stars for no one. Yet for your sake I turned my world upside-down, I reordered time, I stretched myself thin, and I did it all for you. You continued to exhaust me and then have the gall to demand more. Yet I did it without complaint. All I wanted in return was a little gratitude, at first. It was only towards the end I realized I wanted more. I wanted it all, I wanted you."

Sarah continued to stare at him without responding. Jareth laughed mirthlessly,

"And see, even now you want more from me. You raise your expectations higher and higher Precious. You continue to exhaust me."

And there she saw it, the dark circles under his eyes. The haggard lines across his face. The look of exhaustion she had never seen before yet instantly recognized. And the only words that sprung from her lips were,

"But, you don't like me."

His countenance darkened, and he swooped in like an owl does upon an unsuspecting rodent. His mouth crashed against hers and she felt it all.

At least three years' worth of anger and separation were unleashed in his kiss. The sheer force of passion he had held restrained within him burst forth and filled her body, making her heart pound as though it would go into overdrive and explode. And strangely enough, she felt herself melting. Melting into his kiss, melting into his embrace. Everything was melting.

When he finally let her up for air he looked even more smug than usual.

"Now does that seem like the action of someone who does not like you Sarah-mine?" he asked with a smirk.

"But I, but at the end. You said-"

"Perhaps waxing poetic was not the best way to gain your affections. Nor was doing it right when you believed you were about to lose. I regretted taking those two hours from you down in the tunnels at that moment."

"Why? And weren't you angry when I beat you?"

"A little perhaps, since almost no one ever deserved their child back but you. In truth it was more of a sting to the ego. But Sarah, all it ever was was a game. Every denizen of my Kingdom knows that. It's a game with high stakes, but nothing more than a game. If you had truly challenged me Sarah you would not have won."

"But, I thought-"

"I'm sure you did. But I said to solve the Labyrinth within thirteen hours. To solve a labyrinth is to reach is center is it not?"

"I suppose," Sarah reluctantly agreed.

"Sarah, you had won the moment you crossed the threshold of my castle. The baby had already been sent home asleep in his crib. Those last few moments, I was fighting to keep you."

"Keep me?"

"At the end of the thirteen hours Sarah-mine, the runner is sent home regardless of where they are in my kingdom, unless of course the reach the castle before the time limit. Normally I would not care, but you. Sarah, you were, are like no other woman, mortal or not, I have ever met. Even before we were formally introduced I had watched you."

"The barn owl in the park!" Sarah realized.

"Yes. I'm afraid I was, for lack of a better word, drawn to you."

"But why?"

"You are far too young, but I remember the days where people like you were not such rare treasures of the mortal world. We had many names, but we were all one and the same. Humans feared and revered us, and we lived in rather peaceful harmony. But humans possess one fatal flaw; they seek to control. And that which they cannot control must be destroyed. 'For the greater good' is what they proclaim, but they always feared my kind making slaves of them. So they isolated and executed us."

"But surely there were innocents."

"There were, and what's more, they knew just who possessed powers and who did not. Those who did not were executed anyways to make an example out of what would happen if they trifled with the wrong man. They fabricated tales of how evil we all were, and how they were doing the world a justice by ridding it of the so-called monsters like me." Jareth laughed haughtily and stared at her. "You believed me to be cruel my Precious Thing, but I am far more merciful than most humans."

"This sounds personal," Sarah ventured.

"I lost my mother to a witch hunt Sarah, for me, it will always be personal. But remembering you came from the same stock caused such revulsion in me. I fought against it, or attempted to, all in vain. When I did not watch you from the obelisk in the park, I found myself gazing at you through my crystals. I could not escape you, though whatever deities' above know I've tried."

"Wait, am I the only one with the ability to wish people away?"

"Anyone can, as long as they have the right words and truly mean it in the moment."

"Then how do you-"

"Sarah, only you could have touched the hearts of my subjects, and caused them to do such a thing as betray me. You've a magic all your own, the only power I've ever given you is the power to call on them when you need them."

"Why?"

"It is nothing more than your prerogative as Champion of the Labyrinth."

"No, I mean why did you let me keep them?"

"Think back on that little book you used to carry around with you so often Sarah. Why else would the King of the Goblins give a beautiful young girl certain powers?"

Sarah looked down at her shoes as she thought, "Because what no one knew was that," she looked up at him, the same look she'd given him the first time she'd spotted him in the peach dream.

"Go on Sarah, what no one knew…"

"Was that the King of the Goblins had fallen in love with the girl." She finished incredulously. "You love me?"

"Look at me Sarah-mine, could I ever do anything else when it comes to you?"

She saw it in his eyes, the same thing she had seen at the end of her journey through the Goblin Kingdom. The same thing she'd seen in the Escher Room. The look of pain on his face as he thought she was about to leave him. It was love, and her heart started pounding as she realized something else. She had never had a serious relationship, and why? All the men she'd dated in the past had been sweet, kind, considerate. Whenever she'd broken up with them she'd never understood why. Now, looking at Jareth, she understood. She'd broken up with those men because they just couldn't compare. She'd broken up with them because all those men, they were just boys. And she was made for one man, this man. The realization left her knees weak and they buckled, sending her to the ground.

Swift as always Jareth caught her in his arms and cradled her to his chest. She looked up and him and in advertently fluttered lashes at him. Her eyes were glassy and dreamy. She looked as though she were in a trance, her skin and hair soaked by the rain. And to Jareth, no creature had ever looked so beautiful, been so exquisite in that moment as his Sarah.

He kissed her, and she blossomed like a flower beneath him. Before they knew what had happened they were sprawled on the grass, only her red cloak offering covering from the ground. Sarah's hands pushed at him and ever reluctantly he drew back.

"Jareth wait," she gasped as she sat up.

He inwardly groaned in frustration. "What is it Precious?"

"This is all, just, so much to take in at once."

"So you are rejecting my suit out of hand, once again." He sat back and sulked like a child that had been denied its favorite sweet.

"No it's not that! It's just I need some time to sort this all out."

"And what of your answer to me Sarah?"

"What answer?"

"You know my feelings, do you love me Sarah-mine?"

"Well, I-"

"Sarah,"

She sighed, "I'm not saying yes," at seeing his crestfallen look she hurried on, "but I'm not saying no either. I just, I need some time."

"Time? Sarah-mine, I can give you all the time if you but say the word."

"Not like that! I," she paused. "need some time to myself to digest all this. And then, when I'm ready, maybe we can spend some time, together."

"Why would you need you be ready?"

"Jareth, I don't know you. I want to get to know you before I say anything. I've seen what happens to couples that say 'I love you' too quickly. It's over before it even begins." Sarah sighed. "We can talk about this later. Right now I need to get home, everyone must be so worried about me."

"As you wish, Sarah-mine. Would you like me to dry you off?"

"Only enough to make sure I don't get hypothermia please. They'll want to know where I've been I can't tell them I was caught in the storm when my clothes are dry now can I?"

"Very well then," a crystal spun into being at his command and he used it to dry her off a little. "Farewell Little Red!" he called as she made her way out of the woods. "Be wary of any wolves you might meet!"

Sarah turned around and laughed, "I don't think wolves are the animal I need to worry about. I need to remember to close my window at night or that owl will never leave!"

Watching her retreating figure Jareth grinned at her last statement. Her actions always belied her words. He would just have to see whether or not she remembered to close the window tonight. In a shower of glitter he transformed into an owl and flew off into the night. Wolves indeed were the last thing Little Red needed to worry about.

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><p>I am begging you guys to leave a review! Please and Thanks in advance and tell me what you honestly thought. i can't grow as a writer without constructive criticism!<p> 


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